System for protecting fingernails from exposure to ultraviolet radiation

ABSTRACT

A protective fingernail cover having a top portion, a bottom portion and a retention band. The bottom portion is joined to the top portion define an enclosure that is adapted to at least partially receive a person&#39;s fingernail. The retention band extends from at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion. The retention band is capable of extending around the person&#39;s finger when the protective fingernail cover is placed over the person&#39;s fingernail to thereby retain the protective fingernail cover in a fixed position with respect to the person&#39;s fingernail.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Applic. No. 60/772,328, filed Feb. 10, 2006, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed to protective coverings for use in tanning beds. More particularly, the invention is directed to a protective fingernail cover.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tanning using artificial light leads to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. For a variety of reasons, a person may wish some parts of the body to be exposed to a certain amount of UV radiation but to reduce or eliminate UV exposure to other parts. For example, some of the coatings applied to fingernails are particularly susceptible to change when exposed to UV radiation.

In some instances nail polish changes to a different color when exposed to UV radiation such as changing from white to yellow. This color change is undesirable and results in the nail polish needing to be removed and then reapplied. Because of the costs and time associated with removing and reapplying nail polish, it is desirable to protect the nail polish from exposure to UV radiation when other portions of the person's body are exposed to UV radiation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the invention is directed to a covering for fingernails. The protective fingernail cover has a top, a bottom with a recess sized to receive a fingertip, and a band for securing the covering to the fingertip. The protective fingernail cover is made of a UV-resistant material and may be formed integrally with the band or joined to the band by adhesive or a fastener.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of protective fingernail cover according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view of the protective fingernail cover.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the protective fingernail cover.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the protective fingernail cover used in conjunction with a person's fingernail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the invention relates to a protective fingernail cover for fingernails, as illustrated at 10 in the figures. The protective fingernail cover 10 protects the fingernails from exposure to UV radiation when other portions of the body are exposed to UV radiation.

The protective fingernail cover 10 generally includes a top portion 12, a bottom portion 14 and a retention band 18. The top portion 12 and the bottom portion 14 are joined together along side edges 20 and a distal edge 22 to thereby define an enclosure 24 that is adapted to receive a person's fingernail therebetween.

The top portion 12 and the bottom portion 14 are formed with a length and a width that are both sufficiently large to accommodate fingernails having a wide range of sizes. Alternatively, it is possible to form the protective fingernail cover 10 with different widths and lengths that more closely approximate the width and length of the person's fingernail.

Proximate a proximal edge 26 of the protective fingernail cover 10, the bottom portion 14 is shorter than the top portion 12 to define a recess 16. The configuration enables the person to slide the finger sufficiently into the protective fingernail cover 10 so that substantially all of the person's fingernail is covered, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

To enhance the ability of the protective fingernail cover 10 to stay in a fixed position with respect to the person's finger, the retention band 18 extends from the protective fingernail cover 10 proximate the proximal edge 26. When the protective fingernail cover 10 is placed over the person's fingernail, the retention band 18 extends around the person's finger 30.

The protective fingernail cover 10 may be made integrally molded or assembled from component parts. A UV-resistant plastic material may be used. The material used to fabricate the protective fingernail cover 10 may be resilient to facilitate placing the protective fingernail cover 10 over fingernails and fingers having a variety of shapes and sizes. In a preferred embodiment, the material used to form the protective fingernail cover 10 is all or partially of a dark color, such as blue, to increase absorption of UV radiation.

In use, the protective fingernail cover 10 is placed over a fingernail, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The wearer's fingertip is positioned adjacent the proximal edge 26 of the bottom portion 14 and secured in place by retention band 18. In this position, protective fingernail cover 10 substantially prevents UV radiation from impinging upon the person's fingernail and thereby protects the person's fingernails from discoloring.

It is contemplated that features disclosed in this application, as well as those described in the above applications incorporated by reference, can be mixed and matched to suit particular circumstances. Various other modifications and changes will be apparent to those of ordinary skill. 

1. A protective fingernail cover for protecting a person's fingernail from exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the protective fingernail cover comprising: a top portion; a bottom portion joined to the top portion to define an enclosure that is adapted to at least partially receive a person's fingernail; and a retention band extends from at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion, wherein the retention band is capable of extending around the person's finger when the protective fingernail cover is placed over the person's fingernail to thereby retain the protective fingernail cover in a fixed position with respect to the person's fingernail.
 2. The protective fingernail cover of claim 1, wherein the top portion and the bottom portion each comprise a proximal edge, a distal edge and two side edges that extend between the proximal edge and the distal edge.
 3. The protective fingernail cover of claim 2, wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are attached to each other along the distal edges and the side edges to define the enclosure.
 4. The protective fingernail cover of claim 2, wherein a recess is formed in the bottom portion along the distal edge.
 5. The protective fingernail cover of claim 1, wherein the enclosure has a length and a width that is approximately the same as a length and width of the person's fingernail.
 6. The protective fingernail cover of claim 1, wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are fabricated from a UV-resistant material.
 7. A protective fingernail cover for protecting a person's fingernail from exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the protective fingernail cover comprising: a top portion comprising a top proximal edge, a top distal edge and two top side edges that extend between the top proximal edge and the top distal edge; a bottom portion comprising a bottom proximal edge, a bottom distal edge and two bottom side edges that extend between the bottom proximal edge and the bottom distal edge, wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are attached to each other along the top and bottom distal edges and the top and bottom side edges to define an enclosure that is adapted to at least partially receive a person's fingernail; and a retention band extends from at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion, wherein the retention band is capable of extending around the person's finger when the protective fingernail cover is placed over the person's fingernail to thereby retain the protective fingernail cover in a fixed position with respect to the person's fingernail.
 8. The protective fingernail cover of claim 7, wherein a recess is formed in the bottom portion along the bottom distal edge.
 9. The protective fingernail cover of claim 7, wherein the enclosure has a length and a width that is approximately the same as a length and width of the person's fingernail.
 10. The protective fingernail cover of claim 7, wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are fabricated from a UV-resistant material.
 11. A method of protecting a person's fingernail from exposure to ultraviolet radiation while other portions of the person's body are exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the method comprising: providing a protective fingernail cover comprising a top portion, a bottom portion and a retention band, wherein the bottom portion is joined to the top portion to define an enclosure that is adapted to at least partially receive a person's fingernail, wherein the retention band extends from at least one of the top portion and the bottom portion; inserting the person's fingernail into the enclosure; extending the retention band around the person's finger to retain the protective fingernail cover in a fixed position with respect to the person's fingernail; and exposing at least a portion of the person's body except for the fingernail over which the protective fingernail cover is placed to ultraviolet radiation.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the top portion and the bottom portion each comprise a proximal edge, a distal edge and two side edges that extend between the proximal edge and the distal edge and wherein the top portion and the bottom portion are attached to each other along the distal edges and the side edges to define the enclosure.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein a recess is formed in the bottom portion along the distal edge and wherein a portion of the person's finger is extended into the recess when the protective fingernail cover is placed over the person's fingernail.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the enclosure has a length and a width that is approximately the same as a length and width of the person's fingernail.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the protective fingernail cover is fabricated from a UV-resistant material.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the ultraviolet radiation is provided by the sun, indoor tanning equipment or combination thereof. 